It would be absolutely stunning if Brandon Aubrey is not a Dallas Cowboy next season, and the team took a major step toward ensuring that by placing a second-round tender on him before the start of free agency.
The Cowboys reportedly have a contract offer on the table that would make Aubrey the NFL's highest-paid kicker. The tender protects them if they can't reach an agreement, as they could either match an offer sheet that Aubrey signs with another team or receive a second-round pick as compensation.
In the spirit of handing out tenders to restricted free agents, Dallas has also placed a second-round tender on offensive lineman T.J. Bass.
Like Aubrey, Bass is free to negotiate with other teams, but the Cowboys can match any deal they agree to.
The Dallas Cowboys wisely place second-round tender on T.J. Bass
While Bass is one of the best backup interior linemen in the league, it would be stunning if another team surrenders a second-round pick for his services. The interior OL market is set to explode once free agency begins, but Bass only has 16 starts under his belt.
What makes the tender almost a cheat code is that Bass would likely get paid handsomely on the open market. The tender protects Dallas from losing him, as Bass would have reached unrestricted free agency had he not been tendered.
The 26-year-old has given the Cowboys quality reps at both guard positions, logging 490 snaps at left guard and 515 on the right side, per Pro Football Focus. The team even had him taking reps at center in practice.
Bass doesn't have a clear path to a starting role, but offensive line injuries are inevitable. Of Dallas' five starters, only right tackle Terence Steele played all 17 games last season.
Offensive line depth is at a premium. It's a real problem for the NFL, so it's no surprise the Cowboys don't want to lose Bass. He creates decent movement in the run game and has allowed just two sacks and 16 pressures on 599 pass-blocking snaps in his career.
He'd be a starter on a lot of teams, which is a luxury few teams have in a backup.